RoRec Association’s WEEE collection campaigns

Romanians are willing to recycle and are concerned about the environment, one of the main impediments in their way is the fact that in Romania there is not a coherent collection system in place

December 2011 - From the Print Edition

RoRec Association in partnership with municipalities implemented a national selective collection program this year, “The waste doesn’t belong at home. Take it for a hike!”. So far, in less than nine months, the volumes of collected waste electric and electronic equipments (WEEE) exceeded 1,000,000 kilos, in more than 200 campaigns run in 39 counties, namely 550 localities around the country. The collection campaigns organized in partnership with municipalities and local authorities gathered over 2,000 volunteers – pupils and teachers from kindergarten, primary, secondary schools and also high-schools. More than 45,000 people were happy to find the correct solution for their WEEE, moreover since the solution is a safe one for the environment and it provides assurance that the old EEE will be properly treated and recycled, according to European standards in this specific area.
The WEEE collection process basically depends on two factors: creating the proper infrastructure for selective collection, namely the drop-off centers compliant with EU environmental standards, and also public education and awareness raising so they know they can use this service that provides proper WEEE management.
“WEEE are nowadays a pretty big problem, considering the rate in which people are changing their electric and electronic appliances,” explained one citizen from Bucharest who participated in RoRec’s project.
Many of the people that drop-off their WEEE said they read about the program in their local newspapers, and they were happy to hear about it, since all of them had in their household old appliances, but did not necessarily know how to dispose of them in a safely manner for the environment.
“This is the TV set where I watched Nadia Comaneci during the Montreal Olympics!” exclaimed another citizen, adding that it was difficult to depart from it, but happy he knows some of the TV’s components can be treated and recycled in compliance with EU environment norms, and some of their fractions used in industry, and secondary raw materials. “The results in our collection campaigns proves once and for all that Romanians need these types of services, they appreciate our project and are aware of the fact that the appliances will be recycled according to EU environment legislation.
The concern about the environment is turning into reality, and is fully confirmed by the rate of participation in this national campaign, and also by the positive reactions from our participants,” explained Mr. Liviu Popeneciu, President of RoRec Association.
Collecting WEEE is seen nowadays as a strategic domain all over Europe, since these appliances contain toxic components for the environment and for our health.
If they are properly recycled this means they will be eliminated without polluting the environment and also can be reintroduced in the industrial process as secondary raw materials, thus protecting the natural resources. At European level, strategies are now being created and they mention a “society of recycling”. This happens because the “engine” in the latest technologies in electronics is now provided by critical materials, like gallium, indium, germanium, tantalum – all of these having a restricted natural exploitation. To overcome this limitation, Hi-Tech producers are already focusing on WEEE, that is becoming an alternative source, since the treatment and recycling technologies is constantly managing to extract more and more secondary raw materials.
Lead, mercury and cadmium are just a few of the substances that are extremely toxic, and which pollute irreversible once they have been released in the environment. A ten year-old refrigerator contains freon, a gas that when released in the atmosphere destroys the ozone layer.
Also, batteries and accumulators contain substances that once they reach the soil, can produce intoxication, namely allergies, sterility, memory loss, heart diseases and even cancer. The mercury in one battery can pollute 500 liters of drinking water, or – for 50 years – one square meter of land!
The partners of RoRec Association that offered the prizes in “The waste doesn’t belong at home. Take it for a hike!”collection program are: Albastros, Arctic, Bosch, Candy, Carrefour, Comatex, Indesit, Philips, Severin, Skil and Whirpool.

Contact: Romanian Recycling Association RoRec
Andreea Idriceanu Calev – communication manager
Email: andreea.idriceanu@rorec.ro
Mobile: 0728 22 22 32